How to Train Your Jashinist
by Gingersnap87
Summary: The new war facing the allied ninja nations is taking its toll, and Shikamaru is thrust into a situation he doesn't like. HidaShika Yaoi. Formerly called Familiar Faces.
1. Part 1

_**This takes place during the current war, and while I try to follow the story line as much as I feel needed, not everything will be accurate, because it was forgotten, or I changed it for the purposes of this fanfic. This fic will contain mature content, including yaoi (boy on boy) scenes, sexual situations, and foul language. The pairing is Hidan x Shikamaru. If you aren't comfortable with any of that content or the pairing, don't read, and don't flame. All others, I hope you enjoy this two shot. **_

_**I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of Naruto. I only own the idea of this story.**_

**How to Train Your Jashinist: Chapter 1**

The echoes of clashing steel and the screams of the wounded or dying followed Nara Shikamaru-and the medics surrounding him, to the small recovery tent. Shikamaru closed his eyes tightly in an unsuccessful attempt to drown out the sounds of war. Finally his gurney came to rest on the ground of the tent, jostling his injured side. At least he had something different to focus on, but not for long.

The tactics of the allied ninja nations were fortuitist at first. Now Kabuto and Madara were utilizing their counter strategies, and the allied army was slowly getting slaughtered. Kabuto was even going as far as reviving the freshly killed from the battle field. Though the allied nation's army was considerably large, they could not regenerate or heal as quickly as the resurrected legendary shinobi. If a new, concrete strategy could not be thought up, the five nations were doomed to face Madara's master plan.

_Think, Shikamaru, think, _he racked his brain while the medic nin worked on his critical injury, _The enemies are already dead, can regenerate, and most are incredibly strong. They are bound to earth until their souls can be freed. That worked at first, but now sheer numbers are killing us. Somehow, Kabuto is able to gather personal effects from the diseased for his forbidden resurrection jutsu, even mid-battle. But how? And could this jutsu even been nullified by killing Kabuto?_

Shikamaru let all of the abilities of the enemies he fought or witnessed while on the battlefield seep into his logic, painstakingly reviewing each snapshot in his photographic memory.

_There are more Zetsu clones than revived nin, but they are drastically weaker. Could be that they are simply there as basic infantry, to slow us down, like shogi pawns. They could still have a more important purpose…_

A sudden thought struck Shikamaru, his injury forgotten, he tried to sit up. The medic nin working on him promptly pushed him back down.

"Don't move Shikamaru-san," the man said.

"I-I must talk to the G-Godaime Hokage!" Shikamaru protested strongly, pushing against the hands trying to restrain him. The medic took a moment to think the young nin's words over before releasing him.

"I'll take you to the Intel station…"

"What is it Shikamaru?" Tsunade asked from the kage headquarters.

The slug princess could already feel a migraine coming on. The past few weeks had been stressful for all of the kage. Though they had found out the secret to the souls of their former ninja-bound to the earth until their souls could rest-but that revelation was shattered when the jutsu's hold was strengthened. If she heard more bad news, she would step onto the battle field herself.

"H-Hokage-sama, I think I-I've come to a realization about the Z-Zetsu hoard," Shikamaru thought, speaking in his mind through the sensor nin acting as his link to headquarters.

"Go on, son," Shikaku coaxed, reflecting the eagerness of everyone in the room.

Shikamaru took a deep breath before continuing his thought. "Somehow Kabuto is gathering what he needs to revive our fallen comrades, without coming to the battle field himself. He also seems to be anticipating our moves lately. I believe it has something to do with the Zetsus…I think they are gathering personal effects and secretly transporting them straight to Kabuto. There is also so many of them that it isn't inconceivable that they are relaying our positions. We are fighting an army that is big, strong and nearly indestructible, if we can't change how things are going…we'll lose everything…"

Tsunade let that information sink in. She then looked back at Shikaku for any of his input. The older Nara seemed to stare into a void, a look Tsunade saw often from the laid-back advisor. The gears in his head were working into overdrive.

"Konoha still contain the rudimentary files found when Orochimaru first started developing his forbidden techniques?"

"Yes, but what will we need those for?" the busty blonde asked.

Shikamaru started to catch on to his father's idea. "There could be clues on own to stop the jutsu in the files."

"That thought crossed my mind too, Shikamaru," his father agreed, "but my intention was to fight forbidden jutsu with forbidden jutsu."

Both Shikamaru and all of headquarters were silenced with shock. Shikaku looked at all the faces evenly, but did not drop his look of grim determination.

"If we don't get serious, we will be steamrolled."

"You've got to be out of your damn mind!" Shikamaru spat at his father, not liking where his plans were going one bit.

In order to discuss strategies with his father and the five kages, the still recovering Shikamaru was transported to headquarters. Currently, he was alone with Shikaku, playing a game of Shogi-one of their strategy methods. Each of them either said a plan out loud, or shot down the other's plan if it had a pitfall, before moving a piece in the game.

"He is perfect for what we need to do, and the forbidden jutsu I found will keep him in check," Shikaku said as he calmly moved his piece.

His son, however, was not calm at all. Shikamaru's black eyes were gleaming with rare anger, his shoulders shaking.

"In theory…we haven't even tested it! He's just as dangerous as our enemies. I won't let it happen!"

A resounding clack filled the room as he slammed his piece down on the board, then it was silent.

Shikamaru was started to think he persuaded his father against his idea, when Shikaku finally spoke up again. "Are you going to let the fact that he killed your teacher keep you from using him as a tool to protect the village?"

No one moved this time.

"I don't trust him…" the younger of the two bit out.

"No one does, but he'll be under our control. Then once we don't need him anymore, we'll immobilize him again."

Shikamaru didn't answer so quickly this time, but his body language clearly expressed how unhappy he was with the plan.

"Alright, then think about this," Shikaku went on, "Wouldn't you rather him be used on our side, than Kabuto somehow getting a hold of him? Sure our clan's forest is under superb surveillance, but that can't help us much when we're all focused with the battle field. Kabuto could have him dug up and gone before we even got word of it. So let's just go and dig him up and bring him back to head quarters. Even if the jutsu doesn't work, we can simply dismantle him and bury him in a safer location."

Shikaku moved his next piece, getting a checkmate over the stressed Shikamaru. The checkmate went mostly ignored as Shikamaru looked his father in the eyes.

"Fine. But I'm the one that's going to control him personally. And if he blinks at me wrong, his ass is getting reduced to dust this time," that said, Shikamaru stood and stomped out of the room and to the main discussion room.

The room was empty at this time of the night, so the young Nara's actions went uninterrupted. He walked over to the tabletop where Orochimaru's recovered forbidden jutsu files lay. The file that sat a little bit away from the others caught his eye as the jutsu Shikaku was referring too. Shikamaru picked up the lone file and carefully read through it. He read it over and over again, until it was memorized.

He couldn't afford to mess up even a little.

"So this is the place?" Kiba asked

_I'd never forget it_, Shikamaru thought as he stared down at a familiar patch of ground within the Nara clan's forest of deer. He nodded in confirmation.

"Then let's get this over with," Shikaku grunted as he stood back up straight after feeling the earth, he looked over at the young Inuzuka and his dog. "Kiba-kun, you and Akamaru break through the layers of earth. Once you start finding body parts, Shikamaru and I will take over." He then looked at Sakura, "Could you please mend him after the jutsu is finished?"

"Hai," Sakura nodded.

Kiba nodded as well. "C'mon Akamaru!"

The huge dog barked, and boy and animal spiraled down into the ground.

A aggravated sigh pushed through Shikamaru's mouth. He could not help but feel that he was doing something incredibly wrong. Like he was sinning-though he never put much thought into faith-he felt like he was betraying Asuma and his reasons for putting the religious bastard in the ground to begin with. A heavy weight clapped down on his shoulder.

It was his father.

"Got the jutsu memorized?

"Yeah" Shikamaru replied numbly.

Two hours later, Shikamaru was staring down at the still fresh, but dilapidated limbs, torso and head of the Jashinist Hidan. Even covered in dirt, dried blood, and not running his mouth, he still looked the same. Though his body was in chunks, Hidan's skin was unblemished and practically healed up. He was still toned, despite being considerably thinner. His usually cocky expression was replaced with a more subdued look of resignation.

Hidan was what anyone would call attractive…insufferably attractive.

Shikamaru just wished the man would die…or miraculously cease to exist.

He sighed for the millionth time since he was thrust into this situation and rolled out a scroll. It had a jutsu seal already inscribed on it, there wasn't much left to do now. The three men and the female medic placed the body parts over the scroll, then Shikamaru sat cross legged in front of the set up. Shikaku walked a careful circle around his son, inscribing seals on the ground to help contain the jutsu.

Taking out a kunai with one hand and preparing to cut the thumb of the other, Shikamaru, glared down at the jigsaw puzzle of humanity before him.

_It's now or never, Shikamaru…too bad it couldn't be never…_

The knife seared into his skin in a neat, slow stroke, opening the dam for Shikamaru's blood to flow through. He ignored the pain easily and made the appropriate hand seals before slamming his palm on the scroll, chakra pouring into both the scroll and Hidan's body.

"Forbidden Art: Body Enslavement"

The inscriptions on scroll and ground slowly began to glow bright, almost blinding Shikamaru. He could not let himself lose focus though, or the jutsu could go completely wrong.

A burning sensation on his hip nearly forced Shikamaru to pull away from the scroll, but he held fast. It was part of the jutsu. The seals the scroll were running up his arm and to his hip. The burning intensified. He looked at Hidan and noticed part of his flesh was burning too, on the side of Hidan's neck. It read "slave." Shikamaru figured that his own mark might say something like "master."

Finally all of the seals disappeared from the scroll and circle, and most of the burning Shikamaru felt had subsided. The jutsu was complete.

Shikamaru pulled away from the scroll with a lethargic gasp. At least half of his chakra went into that procedure. Sakura was suddenly at his side.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

He could only nod, fearing that if he tried to form words, he'd pass out.

Sakura laid a cool hand to his sweaty forehead. "Take a rest."

Shikamaru didn't have to be told twice. He allowed himself to be laid back while Sakura's hand glowed green over his chest. Despite the help, his head started to spin until he was enveloped in blackness.

Violet eyes flickered under fatigued eyelids. The skin around the eyes tightened before eyelids slowly fluttered open. White florescent lights stared back from a plane looking ceiling. A bandaged finger twitched, barely able to flex at all.

_Am I dreaming?_

The last thing Hidan remembered before falling into a hunger induced coma was dirt and rocks. The same crud that he was dismembered and buried in, by that shadow kid. Within the first day upon being buried, Hidan kept his promise to start chewing a path to the surface. He chewed and spat, then simply decided to swallow the dirt, letting it pass out through his severed neck. Then a long time passed, how long, Hidan did not know. It could have been an eternity, and his determination and strength wavered a bit. He was hungry, deathly hungry. He couldn't die like this. Still, he could not force himself on. He didn't know when he passed out.

Hidan, cocky, faithful follower to Jashin had given up on getting himself out of his hole, or hoping someone would come save him. Hell, he prayed that bastard Kakuzu would come save him. For all of his talk about wishing someone could kill him, Hidan did not want to die in this sad predicament. As a head, he was not able to do much about his own fate.

Now, in his next conscious moment, he found himself not in a hole and in pieces. No he was somewhere else, and whole again, he could feel it.

_But how? Who?_

"Looks like your finally awake…"

_That voice…fuck, I'd know that voice anywhere! _

"T-Teme…" his own cracked voice was barely recognizable as his.

An audible crack was heard when he twisted his neck to face the person he loathed more than anything else.

The kid looked exactly the same as he remembered as he sat in a chair next to where Hidan lay. Though his voice sounded mostly calm, he sat on the edge of his seat, as if ready to attack if needed. The Nara's eyes still held the same sad hatred he carried before he blasted the hole shut.

Armed with his own hate, Hidan felt his body lurch with newfound strength. Fighting through numbness, his hand shot out and grabbed Shikamaru's neck. Shikamaru hadn't calculated on Hidan being able to move so soon, or having that much strength behind his attack.

In a choking voice, Shikamaru ordered, "L-Let me go, H-Hidan…"

To both their surprise, the muscles in Hidan's hand relaxed, slowly it releasing Shikamaru from its death grip.

"The…fu-…What the fuck!" Hidan yelled.

_It worked? _Shikamaru pondered incredulously, staring at the suddenly harmless hand, then to the completely bandaged body of its owner.

He had to be sure…

"Smack yourself in the face"

The same hand that had been has his throat turned rigidly, as if possessed, then flew hard across Hidan's face.

"OW! Son of a bit-"

"It worked!" Shikamaru exclaimed, brightening for the first time since he was stuck with this job. _Maybe this won't be so bad_, his mind cheered.

Hidan stared at his own hand in disbelief. He just let go of the little shit and then slapped himself, doing exactly what the kid ordered. It had to be some sort of manipulation jutsu, so there had to be a way to break it. When he nullified the jutsu, he wasn't going to just kill Shikamaru, he vowed to torture him until his last breath.

"If you can…sit up," came Shikamaru's voice again, only it sounded like it came from between his ears.

Hidan felt his whole body shift upward until he was sitting up in his bed. Upon further investigation, he figured they were in some medical room.

"Heh, Body Enslavement is a success," Shikamaru said aloud again.

"I'll slaughter you and all love before this is over," Hidan seethed.

"Sorry, but you're going to be doing what I want from now on."

Shikamaru stood up from his seat, his hand reaching towards the Jashinist. Hidan stiffened as the bandages around his neck were loosened enough for brown eyes to check the stitches holding his head in place.

"Alright, you should be able to be up and around soon with your healing abilities. We'll then start a short training routine so I can get used to controlling you." Shikamaru lowered his hand and walked away from the bed to stand in the middle of the room.

"You won't be controlling me, fucking heathen scum!"

"Still going on about that religious crap?" Shikamaru asked, "Just like last time…I'm your damn god."


	2. Part 2

_**This takes place during the current war, and while I try to follow the story line as much as I feel needed, not everything will be accurate, because it was forgotten, or I changed it for the purposes of this fanfic. This fic will contain mature content, including yaoi (boy on boy) scenes, sexual situations, and foul language. The pairing is Hidan x Shikamaru. If you aren't comfortable with any of that content or the pairing, don't read, and don't flame. All others, I hope you enjoy this two shot. **_

_**I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of Naruto. I only own the idea of this story.**_

**How to Train Your Jashinist: Chapter 2  
**

"C'mon."

"Fuck you, I don't wanna follow you!" Hidan growled and spat like a pissed off cougar. His curses and defiant words did nothing to call his own body back under his complete control.

One step, two steps, three steps…and Hidan's body was trailing after its younger master.

"Your stubborn defiance is annoying…" Shikamaru drawled, balancing a cigarette between his thin lips.

His hand fished out Asuma's old lighter from its usual pocket, but Shikamaru paused in lighting up. His sharp dark eyes stared thoughtfully into scuffed metallic silver.

_Asuma, will you hate me for working with your murderer? _

Hidan spat on the ground again in distaste. "What's keeping you from lighting up that heathen cancer?" he jabbed.

Shikamaru did not give him a response, but did flick open the lighter and fired it up, lighting his much craved cigarette. He did, however, turn to face Hidan as he inhaled the smoke deeply. The zealot blinked in mild surprise after suddenly getting the full attention of the younger man.

Shikmaru stepped coolly up to Hidan in a measured stride, then deliberately blew the cigarette smoke straight into the latter's face. If he had been disgusted by the sight of the cigarette before, Hidan was now repulsed by the toxic cloud wafting around him.

"D-Dick!" Hidan barked between hacking coughs, waving his hand frantically to dispel the smoke.

"Look who's talking," was Shikamaru's only reply.

Hidan snarled in his primal way and raised his hands to pummel the teenager. His neck suddenly burned furiously. His fists only managing to reach an inch from Shikamaru's face. Hidan stared at his hands, as they legitimately felt like they were being blocked by air. The zealot pushed more force behind his forearms, but his fists would not budge forward anymore. Relaxing his hands, Hidan, pulled his muscles back towards himself. This time his arms moved freely. He stared incredulously down at them, before turning his attention to his strangely seared neck.

Gears running, Shikamaru too studied Hidan's hands, but he looked less surprised. When Shikamaru ordered Hidan to release him in the hospital room, his tattoo seemed to react to it. He also noticed Hidan's tattoo begun to glow as the other man tried to assault him.

_Seems like things are syncing up better within this jutsu, _he thought.

_What the hell? _Hidan inwardly cursed.

The Jashinist brushed his fingers and palm over the side of his neck where he felt the burn. He did not feel much, but slightly raised skin. The sensation was gone.

"What did you do?" growled Hidan.

"Let's go find that stupid scythe of yours," Shikamaru verbally evaded, turning to continue on.

The bones in Hidan's legs creaked like an old wooden door as they were forced to follow his Shikamaru wherever he wished. Though he was able to heal together quickly, Hidan still felt a continual dull aching all over his body. He felt incredibly stiff, not quite like the nimble, flexible self he used to be yet. Now he felt a bit of a wreck inside of a cage. He was sedated wild animal slowly waking up to find its wings were clipped, and his new home was the zoo. Hidan absolutely hated feeling locked up and controlled.

His muscles twitched, wanting to break out of this robotic walk. He wanted to run. He wanted to charge the kid he hated and beat him to death with his naked fists. Still his limbs wouldn't listen to the mad electrical impulses his brain was rapidly firing. A prisoner of his own body.

_Fuck…_

In the next few hours into their journey to the Forest of Dead Trees, the two shinobi walked in complete verbal quiet. Hidan decided talking irately wouldn't help his situation. He need look inward and think of a solution.

Shikamaru remained silent because he didn't like talking to the killer of his teacher. So he carried on, lighting at least three more cigarettes before they reached the jagged, bare trees standing guard to the barren forest. He was smoking at least half as much as Asuma used to.

_This place sure hasn't changed_, Hidan considered.

His eyes searched out the location, reminiscing the dead ground, trees, and scarce foliage. It look exactly as it had the day he and Kakuzu fought the kid and his teammates.

Shikamaru couldn't deny the perfect stillness the forest held either. The location appeared like it was isolated from the rest of the world. Unchangeable. Had this place always looked like this, or did it just age slowly? Shikamaru brushed away his insignificant ponderings and memories, instead focusing on finding where Hidan dropped his scythe.

"Think it's even still here?" Hidan voiced his thoughts suddenly. He silently hoped so, though.

"You're still here, aren't you?" Shikamaru said, then inhaled the last of his latest cancer stick before flicking the butt to the ground, "You're a lot like a good blade. You might get nicked and rusted with blood, but you'll keep cutting forever without breaking. So I assume your crazy weapon has survived as well." that said, his sandal stamped the cigarette into the dusty ground.

Hidan felt himself blink in mild puzzlement. "Are you fuckin' complimenting me?"

Shikamaru's eyebrows twitched together in annoyance. "Tsk…no, merely making a comparison so your idiot mind will comprehend,"

"Oi, I'm not stupid!" Hidan yelled, lashing out in the only way he could at the moment.

Shikamaru only kept walking, muttering a "Mendokusen" under his breath.

At least another hour of searching went by before the forest finally yielded what the two young men were hoping to find. The cherry red planes of the scythe were dingy from its time in nature without proper care. Otherwise the blades were pristine.

"Well damn, you're right."

"You can pick it up," Shikamaru permitted.

Hidan gladly accepted the invitation. Holding his signature weapon in his hands was like reuniting with a long lost friend. His body adjusted to its weight almost immediately, remembering just how to balance it in his grip to make a quick slash to obtain blood.

His body tensed, weight slowly shifting to the opposite leg, the leg furthest from Shikamaru. His hands carefully shifting the weapon from one side to the other, subtly raising it. Hidan wanted to slice the brat's legs from under him. He wanted his blood to run. Oh how he wanted…

Shikamaru sensed the killing intent radiating strongly off Hidan the instant the Jashinist picked up the scythe. But instead of ordering Hidan to cease his attack, he mentally allowed the other's body to continue the attack he was planning. Shikamaru's peripheral caught Hidan doubling his scythe back for a horizontal strike. While he saw all of this in intense slow motion, he only had precious moments to dodge.

Seconds later, the powerful _whoosh_ of the weathered old scythe cut through the air. It sliced over Shikamaru's backward bent torso. A narrow, but complete miss.

Hidan's mind registered the failed attack, whipping his weapon upward to rectify his mistake. Shikamaru's mind was far more nimble than Hidan's, his reflexes a step ahead. One of the young man's hands braced the ground, while the opposite shoulder sharply leaned away from Hidan. The momentum sent Shikamaru rolling out away a good few feet from Hidan's downward attack. The sound of the three blades cracking the empty ground echoed through the desolate landscape, and their ears.

The master of shadows righted himself into a kneeling position, hands flying blindly into the appropriate seals. His shadow below him responded with a unearthly hiss, rushing over the ground at his older opponent. Shikamaru could have easily barked out a command or mentally ordered Hidan to stop his attack many moments ago. He didn't, however, and he didn't know why. He didn't try to know why or why not in those moments.

Hidan's first instinct was to give chase, but then he saw that thin line of inky shadow slithering towards him, forcing him to flip into the air away from it. He really hated that jutsu. Almost as much as he hated the jutsu's caster.

"That trick again?" Hidan called out from above as he descended, twisting to land out of the Shadow Possession's range. He landed on his feet in a crouch like a giant silver haired panther.

"And you still attack without thinking, like a brainless barbarian," Shikamaru jabbed back.

Both shinobi were currently at a stalemate. Instead of immediately picking up the fight where it suddenly left off, the two remained rooted to their positions, staring the other down.

Hidan had to inwardly admit Shikamaru earned several good marks in Hidan's book. While he was a slow attacker, no other individual could ever outmaneuvered him so continuously. He had to admit that no opponent before could bring out the fight in him quite like Shikamaru. Having never fought anyone twice, Hidan felt as if it was, again, like meeting an old familiar acquaintance. Everything about this location, this person, this moment. Was nostalgic. That didn't mean he had to like the brat. He still wanted to kill him.

On Shikamaru's end, the leaf ninja was experiencing similar thoughts. While Hidan was quite dense, he had an almost incomparable drive and determination. It was a commendable trait, but it was a trait his ultimate enemy possessed. Shikamaru sighed quietly, wondering what things would have been like if they were reborn, or met under different circumstances.

"We might even have been friends," Shikamaru whispered to himself, then shook his head of that_. Am I crazy? He could never be a friend of mine. I hate him with all my being._

Shikamaru stood, but held his handsigns. His shadow retreated back to him, but only to lure Hidan into a false sense of security. His shadow was still cocked and ready.

Hidan watched the shadow with eagle eyes, but didn't take the bait as easily as before. He knew himself that he was rash and not too bright, but he tried to learn things during fights. The Jashinist knew by now to be careful of the Nara clan's kekkei genkai. Instead of running towards his prey, he ran away from it.

The unusual act made Shikamaru falter for just a second, but his mind snapped back to analyzing. The younger nin made a clone of himself, giving it just enough of his chakra to make a signature. He in turn masked the remainder of his own chakra. The two Shikamarus then gave chase after Hidan's signature. The clone followed in a more predictable manner, while the original chased more covertly.

Hidan continued running wildly through the dead trees. He had no real aim he was running to, except that he wanted to bring Shikamaru to him this time. The humming of the trees passing at a high speed went unnoticed by the former Akatsuki. His ears were cocked, listening only for one thing. Pursuit.

His senses felt the brat's chakra spike, then return to normal. Now the chakra signature was coming after him. While Hidan knew himself that he lacked a little in the thinking department, but knew by now to expect a lot of unbelievable things from that kid. Right now, something didn't feel right to him. Shikamaru wouldn't charge after him, he'd try to ambush him.

_The brat's pulling something, _Hidan surmised.

Dust kicked up from his feet as Hidan skidded to a stop, looking for a place to hide and scout his enemy's movements. He followed Shikamaru's example and hid his chakra as well. Hidan didn't have time to hide elaborately, though, because he felt the younger man's chakra almost on him. He only had time to duck behind a thick tree.

Suddenly, Shikamaru was in the clearing Hidan had been prior. Hidan peeked out from the tree, studying the boy's movements. His enemy caught the movement, making the zealot regret looking. Again, Hidan had to dodge the shadow zooming at him. He was getting tired of the boy's same old tricks.

"Smart, but you still won't catc-" Hidan's cocky banter broke off like the snap of a twig when he felt himself get caught within a certain jutsu.

"You were saying?" came Shikamaru's voice from behind him.

The Shikamaru before him vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing itself to be a clone. The genuine article turned his head back slightly, allowing Hidan to mimic the movement and see him. The shadow that had come from the clone distracted Hidan into flight mode, making him forget that Shikamaru was most likely setting a trap. Shikamaru was a master manipulator on the battlefield.

A snarl escaped the zealot. His predicament infuriating him to no end. He was more than pissed. The more he struggled, though, the more he seemed to remembered the longer Shikamaru held him, the weaker his Shadow Possession became. Hidan tensed his muscles, the veins more apparent under his skin as he struggled against the jutsu.

Shikamaru felt his shadow quiver around Hidan's, a tell tale sign that Hidan was starting to power out. He couldn't let his "slave" have the upper hand. More chakra poured into the jutsu, making the shadows jerk and flail up towards the air.

"Damnit!" Hidan ground out between clenched teeth.

Pins and needles tingled his immortal body. Stinging paper cut-like pain coursed through his veins from the shadows stabbing into him. He was body was stuck, frozen to the ground.

Holding his hands in an iron grip to keep up his Shadow Stitching, Shikamaru stood straight and gingerly stepped towards the enslaved man. The closer he got, the stronger the shadows piercing Hidan through held their target. Shikamaru stopped once he was in front of Hidan, facing him.

"You're muscles loosened up fast, but you still fight too predictably," said the younger man.

" I don't fucking need your shitty advice!"

Shikamaru sighed. "Mendo…if we're going to work together, you'll have to start changing your tactics."

A flash of silver hair and black clothes leapt at Shikamaru, toppling him to the ground. His back crashed hard into the dead ground. A forced gasp tore from his open lips. By the time Shikamaru could perceive what had happened to him, Hidan was over him.

The black extendable pike the zealot had carried around before was now back in its owner's hand. It was fully extended. It raised over high over Shikamaru, aiming for his jack rabbit heart.

_When did he find that? _was Shikamaru's only thought as he looked his fate in the face.

"DIE!" Hidan cried out wildly.

The maniac priest plunged the point downward.


	3. Part 3

**How to Train Your Jashinist: Chapter 3**

_**Warmth. **_

_**Drip.**_

_**Drip.**_

_**Pain.**_

_**Crimson pain. **_

_**Drip, drip.**_

White hot pain flooded over Nara Shikamaru's body. Something cold, hard, and metallic felt heavy as it sat pierced through flesh and muscle. It had grazed his collar bone on its way through him, flaking away the surface of the calcium rich mineral. The pain, seemingly infecting every molecule of his body, created a new sensation. A deep dull numbness. It was a strange sensation, this numbness, for while he could still feel the grittiness of the ground under his head, he couldn't rightly feel his body. His wound was nearly painless. The fibers of muscle under his skin twitched rapidly, but he couldn't register it. All he could feel was a coldness that even the most frigid winter in Konoha couldn't compare to. Coldness and bright white behind his eye lids.

That was all there was.

Then there was a shift over him. Strange how he could feel that too through his numbness. Slowly he began to become more aware of this…thing over him. It was a heavy thing, laying over much of his body. Though strongly solid, it pressed yieldingly against his torso, radiating some warmth. So it wasn't inanimate, he managed to grasp with his foggy mind; a mind that was slowly slipping to the fringes. Then he felt the heaving against him, like breathing. Fast palpitations pressing against a steadily slower one, gripped his attention just a little more thoroughly than the rest of the pieces of his observations.

Him.

Hidan.

Fight.

Surprise attack.

Pain.

Dying.

Hidan.

Something inside of Shikamaru lashed out, reaching to hang on. His eyes opened like prying lead doors off his eye balls. Those brown eyes met with two fuzzy violet purple orbs, framed in by a fleshy blob.

_Violet? Why is that so familiar? _The gears in his head ground out as they tried to work properly.

Shikamaru stared at this blurred, ethereal creature, and after a few moments of focusing and refocusing, he realized why he knew that color.

"H-Hidan" his actual voice rasped out.

The violet eyes that he could now make out were staring downward, pupils dilated as if under some kind of drug induced high. The moment he spoke, however, those eyes snapped up viciously to meet his own gaze. The pupils narrowed just slightly, then widened again, comparable to the focusing of cat eyes. Cold, predatory.

His own eyes widened, mimicking the eyes of his clan's deer when a pack of wolves lurked in their forest. He was about to become prey, but for a completely different reason.

Shikamaru had to do what he did best. He had to think. He had to do something. Anything!

The startling eyes he was staring back at lowered again, and then the head followed. Shikamaru struggled to see past his own nose and cheeks to see what the other was doing, but his head felt too heavy to lift.

Something warm and wet prodded around at his bloody wound. By now, all the pain had drained away, leaving only a strong uncomfortable feeling behind. The strange prodding, added to the unnerving feeling. A distressed whimper crawled up Shikamaru's throat. He didn't like whatever it was that touched his pierced fleshed. It bothered him immensely.

As quickly as he felt the prodding, it left, and he could see Hidan's face again. Hidan's chest and waist soon followed, relieving the pressure on Shikamaru's lungs. The other man now stood over him, but that was not the most alarming thing.

The blood on his lips was.

Shikamaru felt his eyelids widen further impossibly. A leftover dose of adrenaline suddenly doused his bloodstream. Both hands planted on the ground, Shikamaru pushed downward to bring himself up. He began to rise, but only an inch into the motion, something held him fast to the ground.

"Nnngh!" Shikamaru gasped aloud, upon feeling the pain in his shoulder return.

_Fuck! The pike! _

Hidan seemed to read his thoughts, for he too looked at the pike, smirk splitting his features. The silver haired man bent his torso toward the younger on in a 90 degree angle, hand coming to rest around the handle of the pike. The smirk burst into a full on grin, one of the violet eyes winking. The hand pulled harshly.

"Fu-…Oh FUCK!" Shikamaru's high octave cry pierced through the open space, ringing around the trees, and coming back in a haunting echo.

The burning pain returned ten fold, making his body twist and spasm inward towards the wound. Shikamaru didn't know he has his eyes closed until he heard laughter, but realized he couldn't see the man laughing. Shakily, they opened again, peeking up past his uninjured shoulder at Hidan.

Contrasting black and white was now painted over the other man's body. Hidan's hips and legs were moving, dragging his feet along the ground just under him. He was drawing.

Drawing his ceremonial diagram.

Shikamaru rolled onto his back again. His mouth parted to order him to stop, but nothing was heard. He thought the order, but his mind wouldn't focus on it. It kept returning to another thought, a memory. A memory of Hidan's same ritual, but a different man. His sensei. Asuma. Who was dead.

He was dead.

He couldn't play possum this time. The blood on Hidan's mouth, in his gut. It was Shikamaru's. His.

He was seeing his death before it was even handed to him.

Hidan's arm raised upward, over his head. The straining hand held the pike in a deviously tight grip, veins protruding sickly.

Shikamaru was nothing but a sitting, quivering duck - hardly even a wiggling worm for putting on a hook as bait.

Dark eyes widened to nearly the point of popping from their sockets, before relaxing, rolling upwards, and closing.

He'd already seen his death.

Hidan watched as the brat's eyes widened in an almost cartoonish way. It rather pleased him, especially coming from his worst enemy. It was short lived, though, when those eyes rolled up into the boy's head into unconsciousness.

_Jashin damn it! _He cursed.

He wanted to see the brat watch himself as he his death came to him. See if those brown eyes did pop out once his heart exploded inside his chest. He wanted to see him while they both shared the feeling of dying.

A growl of frustration tore through Hidan's vocal chords, but he held the pose steady. His head titled skyward, bracing himself for the coming impact of sensation. The muscles of his raised arm tightened, like millions of taunt rubber bands.

Then, after taking a moment's pause to reflect his opponent, he released the pent up power of all the rubber bands, forming a strong downward arc. That power was all he needed to pierce his chest straight through to his back. The purest of all bodily piercing.

_**Squish.**_

Hidan heard the pike sink into his skin, but the feeling of it going through his beating heart didn't follow.

Violet eyes blinked, tugging silver eyebrows to join toward the middle in an expression of questioning. Letting the weight of his head pull itself downward, Hidan peered at his pike. Only about half an inch of the point was stabbed into his chest cavity. Hidan frowned.

Did the brat stop him somehow? He wondered, so he pushed on the pike. It sunk in a millimeter deeper into the flesh. His body was still his.

Not bothering to ponder on what had stopped his deathblow, Hidan pushed the weapon further.

Soon, though, he did begin to think. About why he was wasting his time inching the point closer to his heart, when he could have wrenched it back to make a clean stab. About why he failed his first thrust. Wondering if Shikamaru would jerk in agony and suffering in this prolonged piercing. Would he whimper, scream, or cry silently?

Hidan could feel his heart pumping just under the deadly point, still safe from penetration. Dragging his gaze from his task, Hidan looked over at the heap of humanity in front of him.

The boy was still, remaining under his trauma induced slumber. The face, slightly round with residual baby fat, rested laxly, showing no evidence of pain. Eyelids peacefully smooth, brows straight and parallel to the hidden orbs. Hidan cruised his gaze lower to Shikamaru's nearly button nose. Eyes tracing from the top of the gentle slope to the tip, over and over. Growing bored of that feature, his eyes leered onward to the mouth. Slightly pink, pillowy lips were parted just enough to allow air to travel in and out.

Shikamaru looked softer, innocent of his cunning expressions. He was void of malice, pain, and fear, reducing him to his basest form: A sixteen-year-old boy.

_**Splish. **_

A wince twitched at Hidan's face, tugging his attention back to his own chest. The pike was gone from the wound, having fallen to his side with his relaxed arm. The wound at his chest oozed blood, but wasn't lethal. He completely failed in killing the boy for a third time!

Growling again, Hidan flicked his pike to the ground, stomping over the source of his ire. His hands shot out to grab at the leaf nin's chunin vest. The force Hidan exerted to bring Shikamaru's face to his own, jarred the boy. Shikamaru's eyebrows knitted together gently then murmured a name.

"Hidan."

It came out softly, like a sigh.

Caught off guard, Hidan dropped the boy and jumped back. Eyes wide, he stared at the other, wondering if he imagined that. But then did he imagine himself being unable to kill the one he hated most?

"The fuck's wrong with me?" he yelled, kicking at the ground in irritation.

Hidan's hands flung upwards to slide into his silver locks, gripping painfully. He kicked up more dust frantically as his sandals continued to gouge at the ground. The pale torso twisted randomly with the aimless trampling of its legs, until the body flung itself on its knees. Hands raked backwards out of his hair in a swift motion, pulling some strands out and mussing up his once neat hairstyle.

"Fuck!" he bellowed out.

The tirade ended with that word as Hidan found himself knelt down in front of Shikamaru's head. The boy had yet to awaken, which was surprising to his attacker. Curiously, Hidan leaned his face closer to Shikamaru's, studying him again.

Well this was just great! Not only did he fail in killing this brat many times over, but now he had no idea why. Not knowing why this was happening was mentally killing him.

_Can I not kill him? _Hidan wondered pitifully, _Why the hell shouldn't I be able to?_

He wanted to kill the brat for making him wonder about such stupid things.

_Of course I can kill him! _

Yet he felt more pissed at himself than the feeling to kill him, and that pissed him off even more. Hidan could not think like Hidan.

Before he could register what he was doing, Hidan gathered up his weapons, returned to Shikamaru, and managed to sling the boy onto his back. His time spent out of the ground greatly increased amount of chakra in his body. He was steadily getting stronger and stronger. Then against his better judgment, Hidan ran in the direction they both had entered the forest from.

The movement jostled the injured Shikamaru, eliciting a mild groan of pain. The boy said another name.

"Asuma…" this time his voice sounded sad, despite his unconsciousness.

Hidan mused over what Shikamaru was dreaming about for a moment, but didn't dwell there too long. He had the strange, nagging need to get Shikamaru where he could be patched up. Glancing back at his cargo, he grumbled.

"Consider us even…for now…"

"Damn it, be careful with him!" Sakura shrieked.

"Bitch, you'll know when I'm hurting him," Hidan shot back after flopping a still unconscious Shikamaru on the exam table.

"What did you just call me?"

"Shut up and fucking heal him already!" the silver haired man bellowed, his eyes bulging red.

Sakura kept her raging fists in check and brushed passed the raving zealot. Her hands hovered over Shikamaru's body as they enveloped themselves in green, searching for the wound.

"It's on his right shoulder, in case you didn't notice," Hidan pointed out in his crude voice.

The medic nin simply kept sweeping over her comrade's body, but did reply, "I know that, baka, I'm checking to see if you injured him anywhere else."

"He started it…" Hidan lied, knowing full well who initiated the out of control spar.

Sakura again ignored Hidan, instead setting to work on healing Shikamaru's shoulder. That was when she noticed how much blood he had lost. While his artery was spared, the damage broke many secondary blood vessels. The blood had dried and clotted, sealing the wound, but enough blood had been drained to warrant a blood transfusing.

"I need AB blood, stat!" Sakura called out the medics outside the room.

Moments later there was a flurry of activity. A clear bag of crimson, a needle to the arm, a tube connecting the two, blood pumping from plastic to flesh. The color was slowly and surely returning to Shikamaru's skin, painting it a healthier tone of peach. Hidan could only watch in morbid fascination at the blood traveling, the metamorphosis.

A hand on his shoulder snapped Hidan out of his reverie, and he looked over to see the pink haired medic at his side. A stern expression marred her face, multiplying her already annoying bossiness. Hidan glared down at her.

"Don't think about hurting him again, or I'll break more than your pretty boy face," She warned, "I don't care if you're immortal, I'll break every bone in your body 'til you wish you could die."

Hidan cackled at the girl's ignorance. "I wish everyday I for my death. When Jashin-sama decides it is my time to join him, I will be happy. But the holy day has not yet arrived."

Sakura frowned at the Jashinist's logic, shaking her head. She turned and exited the room, but left the door open, her hearing keen, should she have to rush back in.

The priest glanced back at the resting Shikamaru, eyes drawn back into tracing his features. This time, though, Hidan caught himself and he whipped his head away.

Deciding Jashin was displeased with him, Hidan chose to offer his penance for not completing his ritual.

Something soft replaced the hard earth under him, Shikamaru noticed somewhere inside his subconscious. Instead of the sun beating down on him, a buzzing artificial white light glowed behind his closed eyelids. He could feel his shoulder again, but now it was only a throbbing ache. The cold numbness had disappeared too, letting Shikamaru feel his own body again completely.

Vague memories of his battle with Hidan flashed through his mind, then he remembered how the other man was about to end him. There was no way he could have survived that, and yet he could feel his wound. Unless…he was somehow in hell.

Shikamaru's torso sprung up from the bed, pulling his shoulder painfully. He winced, and grabbed at the wound, then froze. His surroundings were coming into focus for him, telling him he was in a small hospital room.

_I survived? _

"Oi, must you be so damn loud, I'm prayin' here," a voice below his bed announced.

Shikamaru thought he was going insane.

"Hidan?" he asked, peering over the side of his bed. His body gave a start.

It was indeed Hidan, laying supine on the floor within his bloody diagram, pike through his heart.

"Oh god, this is hell…" Shikamaru gave a detached whimper.

"The fuck you talking about? Is that how you thank me for saving your pathetic heathen life?"

Shikamaru paused in his panic. "Wha-?"

"You heard me, you pineapple head!" Hidan said, exasperated at the prospect of repeating himself.

_Hidan didn't kill me? Hidan saved me? _Shikamaru rolled that idea around in his head, mentally tasting it, seeing if it wasn't some spoiled lie.

Why would he be sent to hell anyway? He lived his life as a good, albeit lazy shinobi, but good nonetheless. And there was no way an immortal like Hidan would be in this hell with him, right? So Hidan attacked him, planned to kill him, but didn't. Still Shikamaru wasn't quite fond of being ran through with a pike, whether he was going to die or not. If that happened to him, he didn't want to even consider what Hidan might do to his comrades. He had power over Hidan, and he was going to enforce it!

Shikamaru leaned back over his bed, glaring venom at the man on the floor. The leaf nin didn't know if this kind of order would work for this enslavement jutsu, but he had to try.

"Hidan! I, Shikamaru, your master, order you to never touch me again in anger! Nor will you attack my allies! You will only have free reign to attack the enemies of this army! I am your master and you will not disobey those orders!"

Hidan blinked up at him, surprised by the boy's outburst, but then glared angrily up at him. Pike still in his chest, Hidan stood to strike out at Shikamaru.

The priest's fist clenched, but never even left his side. Hidan growled like an angry bear, while Shikamaru merely smirked in triumph.

"You insufferable little shit! I should have killed you when I had the chance!" Hidan screamed.

Footsteps from outside echoed down the hall, then skidded to a stop in front of the doorway.

"What's going on?" Sakura yelled, before her brain could catch up with her eyes.

After a short delay, she acknowledged that Shikamaru was in fact awake and fine. Hidan, on the other hand, was covered in blood and stabbed completely through with a stake.

Never mind him being immortal, seeing anyone with a mortal wound and shrugging it off would weird out just about anyone. Sakura really wished she skipped eating her sandwich those five minutes ago.


	4. Part 4

_**Bold words are writing within the story, words in italics without quotation marks are thoughts. Contains some spoilers if you haven't reached the point of the 4th ninja war. However the main plot and some minor details of this fic deviate from the official shippuuden storyline for the purposes of this fic. Enjoy!**_

**How to Train Your Jashinist: Chapter 4**

* * *

"So when are we getting on the battlefield?" Hidan asked behind a mouthful of shogayaki.

"Not until we test our link while fighting, and come up with a battle strategy," Shikamaru replied, eating in a more reserved manner.

"I'm immortal, so I don't need a fucking strategy."

"Yeah, and look where that got you last time…"

"Oi, can it!"

Both men stopped talking upon hearing the sound of heels clacking on the linoleum floor. Tsunade stepped up to their cafeteria table with all the authority of her kage position. Shikamaru bowed his head towards her in respect. On the other hand, Hidan stared back at her, sizing the legendary kunoichi up. She returned his stare without trepidation.

"So the jutsu worked?" she directed her question at Shikamaru.

He nodded, "Seems that way, but I need to test the connection in the heat of battle."

Tsunade crossed her arms in impatience. "We need you both out fighting the war quickly."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"That's the Hokage?," Hidan asked, "She's got _huge_-OWW!"

Hidan was immediately cut off by a swift kick to the leg by Shikamaru. As much as he wanted to see Tsunade clobber Hidan, they didn't have time for Hidan to heal all over again. Tsunade seemed to sense Shikamaru's intentions, and merely twitched her thin eyebrow.

"Yes I am the Hokage," she said, "and perhaps next time you say something like that to me again, Shikamaru won't need a shovel to bury you once we're done with you."

Hidan cracked a crooked smirk, "Actually I might like that…"

_Damn masochist_…Tsunade thought with a scoff, but leaned in and pressed her index finger against Hidan's forehead. The Jashinist winced at that simple action, and when Tsunade pulled her hand away, a bruise in the shape of her finger was revealed.

"Be careful what you wish for…" she said, then turned on her heels to leave.

Shikamaru sighed after her departure. "Why do you have to be such an idiot?"

"I'm not an idiot, I'm just stating the fucking obvious," the silver-haired man spat defensively.

Shikamaru simply rolled his eyes at his new partner; he was beyond bickering and did not want to stoop to the other man's level. Other things were plaguing his mind, like how he was going to break the news to his former teammates and friends. Ino and Chouji wanted Hidan buried as much as he did. What would they say or do?

A sudden wave of unease hit Hidan in his chest, making him nearly drops his chopsticks. _What is this? _He thought. Moments ago he felt perfectly fine, but now he felt like an emotional scar was festering inside his heart. This was a feeling he had not experienced since he was a child. He wanted badly to grasp at his chest, but not wanting to appear weak he, he only grimaced.

Both men left their meals unfinished.

"Are you sure he's safe?" Izumo asked Shikamaru, but eyeing Hidan nervously. The four shinobi stood in a clearing amongst Fire country's massive forest.

"I have him under control or else he would have killed me by now," Shikamaru replied, "I need you and Kotetsu to attack Hidan and me with everything you've got…don't hold back"

"But…what if he slashes us?" this time Kotetsu spoke up, both he and his partner were still wary of Hidan. Last time Kotetsu saw Hidan, he had killed Asuma, and was on his way to killing the rest of their team.

Shikamaru knew he had to be more convincing. "Hidan stand on one foot and hop in place," he ordered.

His reluctant partner cursed, but his body stood on one leg and started hopping against his will. Kotetsu and Izumo stared at the Jashinist in amazement.

"H-How did you-" Izumo began

Shikamaru raised his hand to stop him. "Long story, but basically I have him under control and he's on our side. Now we don't have time to waste, attack us at full strength."

"Right!" the two older chunin chorused.

An annoyed growl to his right told Shikamaru that Hidan was still following his orders. The sight made it hard for him to contain a satisfied grin as he relieved Hidan of the silly order. Embarrassed, Hidan felt a blush cover his face, but he tried to hide it behind a battle ready expression.

Izumo and Kotetsu jumped back from their opponents, remembering both of the latter used mid-range attacks. Izumo brandished his giant blade, while Kotetsu summoned his cockleshell club.

"Hidan…attack Izumo," Shikamaru murmured.

Hidan felt his body shift into a more familiar position as his hand reached back for his scythe. He didn't question his order this time, but let his body aim for his target. His body coiled, storing energy for the attack, then with a war cry, sprung forth. The motion was smooth, natural, nothing like what he felt the other times he received an order.

Instead of attacking, Shikamaru sat back and crouched, watching the battle. Hidan's attack was strong enough that Izumo had little chance of fighting back, thus Kotetsu was forced to help his comrade. _This is my chance. _

Shikamaru formed the hand signs for the shadow possession jutsu, but he was interrupted when Hidan nearly ran headlong into Izumo's syrup trap technique. Shikamaru had no time to yell out an order. _Hidan Stop!_

The enslavement jutsu also responded to thought commands, making Hidan's body lurched to a stop. Upon seeing Hidan's reaction, Shikamaru's eyes widened in realization. _He can respond to my thoughts as orders as well! _

Shikamaru was still grasping his thoughts when Hidan let out a yelp. Shikamaru and Hidan had both loss track of Kotetsu and his heavy club, and now Hidan lay sprawled out against a smashed boulder. _Damnit_, Shikamaru thought as he started to recalculate his strategy.

He had little time to do so though, because Kotetsu's weapon was flying in to attack him as well. The young chunin ducked just in time to avoid the surely lethal blow, his hands wasting no time flying through the seals. Two shadows split from Shikamaru's and formed to hands on each end. The cockleshell had already risen up from the ground, looking to take another turn at Shikamaru's head. Standing his ground, Shikamaru let the weapon get dangerously close to him, but his shadows intervened at the last possible moment. The shadow hands grabbed the club then squeezed and crushed it down until it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

That move alone had expended much of Shikamaru's chakra and he was already panting. He glanced over to Hidan's position, seeing the Jashinist was just stirring to his feet.

"Hidan!" he gave a short shout from having to dodge both Izumo and Kotetsu.

The Nara boy was left fending for himself with only a kunai, as initiating his jutsu would only leave him wide open to two opponents. _Hidan, I need your help, _Shikamaru thought as he blocked and dodged his colleagues' attacks.

Hidan's head perked up and he immediately ran to his partner's aid. He threw his scythe towards the fight and jumped into the air, letting his scythe cable drags his body after it. Hidan's advance forced the offending duo to avoid the swipe of his giant scythe. Seeing an opening, Shikamaru formed his seals, attempting to catch one of his comrades off guard. His shadow caught Kotetsu in a non lethal grip of his Shadow Strangle, immobilizing him from making a move.

Izumo blocked Hidan's scythe, but still received swift kick to his sternum, pulling a short yell as he flew to the ground. Hidan followed the momentum of his own kick, landing hard over Izumo's body. A sadistic grin spread over Hidan's mouth, the fight bringing forth his bloodlust once again. Blood pulsed in his ears and behind his eyes upon seeing the look of sheer terror on the face of the fallen Izumo, creating a heavenly rush inside his head.

Murder.

Hidan wanted it as bad as a cat's instinctive urge to chase movement.

All he had to do was make a little scratch, but that wasn't enough. Hidan wanted to annihilate, pulverize, until nothing was left but gooey, bloody chunks of anatomy. Lifting his scythe, the Jashinist aimed the blunt ends of the weapon for Izumo's head.

A strangled laugh escaped Hidan's mouth.

"Hidan, that's enough," a voice called out firmly.

As if broken from his trance, Hidan snapped his gaze over to Shikamaru, who had already released Kotetsu from his jutsu. With the Jashinist's attention distracted, Izumo took the opportunity to scramble out from under the larger man and stumble to a safe distance.

Hidan gave an agitated snort before slinging his scythe into place on his back with a huff.

Shikamaru did not allow the relief he was feeling to show itself outwardly, but part of him was still worried that if he didn't verbally order Hidan to stop, Izumo might have been killed. A long standing order not to hurt anyone had been given to Hidan, but it wasn't certain if such orders fell under the laws of the enslavement jutsu. The shadow manipulator knew he would not always be able to throw out split second orders for Hidan not to kill his comrades. He knew he had to trust that the order still stood between them.

"Izumo, Kotetsu, good job. We're all done here for now," Shikamaru announced.

After the spar, Shikamaru returned to his quarters within the Kage HQ. He was told that Hidan was to be roomed with him while they prepared for entering the battlefield. Inwardly, Shikamaru held distaste for having to share a room with his number one enemy, but knew he was responsible for the man.

The Nara's new partner wasn't too keen on the idea either. Hidan polished the blades of his scythe as he sat cross-legged on the floor, his back to Shikamaru. Shikamaru sat indifferently at his desk, taking notes and writing a report for the five Kage to look over.

**Although the subject and I share an immense hatred for each other, the jutsu has remained true to its structure. I can give him orders both verbally and mentally and he appears to follow everything without fail. As long as he is under the control of the jutsu, Hidan's immortality should prove viable on the battlefield. I'd still like a little longer for both of us to get used to the jutsu so we can become a more cohesive team. **

**-Nara Shikamaru**

Getting tired of the silence, Hidan sat up straighter and without turning his head, spoke to his roommate, "So Pein finally got his war?"

Shikamaru looked up from his report, quirking an eyebrow, then shaking his head. "Pein had a big hand, but he didn't start this war," he replied, then returned to sealing up his report for the Hokage.

Upon hearing this, Hidan paused in cleaning his scythe completely, glancing back at Shikamaru. "Then who was it?"

The Leaf shinobi stood with his report. _Stay_, he thought his order, and then left the room without a word. Hidan moved to follow, but remained rooted to the floor.

"Fucking brat…" he spat.

Walking with a relaxed gate, Shikamaru stepped up to address his Hokage. His head gave a short bow, his hand extending to give her his report. Tsunade opened the seal and perused the paper, honey eyes shifting from right to left. Those same eyes looked up from the paper once finished reading, taking in Shikamaru's form, looking for unwavering confidence in his own abilities. The four other Kage looked on, eager to hear what the report had in store.

"I'll give you one more day, that is all," she said, "…and once on the battlefield, I expect periodic reports when possible."

"Yes, m'am," Shikamaru replied.

"Since you know the most about Hidan his abilities, and the jutsu, please explain the plan to my fellow Kage,"

Shikamaru repeated his prior words and looked outward to the table encompassed by the Raikage, Tsuchikage, Mizukage, and Kazekage. He gave another small, respectful bow to the great nin then cleared his throat.

"Hidan is one of the sole survivors of the original Akatsuki as we knew it. He hails from the once shinobi village, Yugakure. He appears to follow some sort of death cult, called Jashin. Whether or not the god is real, Hidan's abilities give him not only immortality, but the power to link his body to that of his opponents and by inflicting fatal wounds on himself, he can kill them."

"Quite an interesting fellow," the Mizukage commented quietly.

Shikamaru chose not to acknowledge her remark, instead he continued his explanation, "Among the possessions seized from Orochimaru's old hideout was a forbidden jutsu. Normally the leaf wouldn't dabble in such techniques, but this situation called for it. It is called the enslavement jutsu. I employed this jutsu on Hidan, and it allows me to be in control of his body. Whether he agrees with it or not, any order spoken by me, he must follow. Having Hidan on our side is a great asset, and will keep him out of Madara and Kabuto's hands."

A buzzing silence fell over the room as Shikamaru brought his briefing to a close. Sure he had to report often to the Leaf Village's Hokage, but he never had to give such a long winded speech to all five Kage at once. The ensuing hush was a little unsettling to him.

"What about the jutsu's pitfalls?" Gaara, Kazekage of the Sand asked finally.

This time it was Shikamaru's turn to fall into a long silence as he remembered the dire flaw of the jutsu. A deep breath of trepidation filled his lungs, but he forced himself to let it out slowly, to calm his own nerves.

"It does have one pitfall that I know of…" Shikamaru replied.

"And it is?" the Raikage asked, voice low with immediate skepticism.

"The link between Hidan and me…can only be broken if one of us dies…and I'm sure you are aware that only one of us is capable of death. If I die, Hidan's body would be free for him to control again."

Hidan pressed his ear to the cold wood of the door, attempting to hear the meeting. The room was fairly sound proof, so all he could make out were murmurs.

"Damnit," Hidan whispered to himself, still determined to make something out.

He heard something nearby before the knob turned, and the door pushed open in his direction.

"Ow! Fuck!" he yelled, holding his head where the door had struck him.

Shikamaru looked down at Hidan then gave a sigh. "You were trying to eavesdrop…"

"I want answers."

Shikamaru sighed again, he really didn't want to do more explaining. "Troublesome…"he muttered, "fine."

"Who started this war?" Hidan fired the question again.

Shikamaru sat on his bed and placed his hands on his knees. He didn't like recounting painful memories, especially telling them to other people.

"It wasn't Pein, but someone we think was manipulating him and the rest of the Akatsuki…"

"Who was it?" Hidan asked, blood boiling at the knowledge that he was being further manipulated within the Akatsuki.

"A mysterious masked man, calling himself Uchiha Madara," Shikamaru answered.

A few moments of pause fell over the two men as Hidan mulled the information around in his head. Suddenly Hidan stood up quickly, a wide eyed look accompanying his out burst.

"Tobi?" he blurted out, "That fucking blundering idiot?"

_You're calling him an idiot? _Shikamaru thought, but kept it to himself.

"How could that dumbass start a war? And there's nothing mysterious about him!" Hidan continued to rant, gesticulating madly. Shikamaru felt a headache coming over him.

"Please stop yelling, there's no reason for it…" Shikamaru interrupted him.

Hidan gave a huff, but settled down. "What about the rest of the Akatsuki, what about Kakuzu?" he asked in a more reserved voice.

"Starting with Kakuzu, he was killed after I buried you," Shikamaru replied, noticing Hidan's eye twitch a little, "Pein destroyed the village, but later revived it, and the strain killed him. Konan faced off with Madara and was killed as well."

"W-Wait, wait…Pein revived the village? I thought destroying it was part of his plan?"

"It was, but Naruto changed his mind," Shikamaru clarified, "Anyway…Itachi was killed by his younger brother out of revenge. Kisame, proved himself to be loyal to Madara, and later died in his efforts to keep information from being revealed. Lastly, since Deidara appeared with the other resurrected Akatsuki, he must've met death along the way as well."

"Resurrected?" Hidan echoed him.

"Yes, courtesy of Kabuto," Shikamaru said with distaste, "He's taken over Orochimaru's body and sided with Madara. As for Zetsu, he is the last surviving Akatsuki…well besides you of course."

Hidan's nose wrinkled as if he smelled something putrid. The thought of someone messing with the deceased brought anger back into his system. It was a sacrilegious notion according to Jashin, a one way ticket to hell. He put up with Kakuzu's greedy ways, but this was the blackest of sins.

"Fucking bastard…doesn't he understand that the dead are to lie where they fall?"

Shikamaru stared up at Hidan, mouth gaping in amazement at the Jashinist's words. _He actually feels this way?_

"A-Asuma too…" Shikamaru suddenly said in a small voice, "he's been resurrected too…"

"Huh?" Hidan grunted, looking completely confused.

_Of course he wouldn't remember…Asuma was no one to him_, Shikamaru thought painfully, remembering why he hated the man in the first place.

"Forget it, I'm tired," the chunin ground out and then moved under the covers of his bed. He purposefully faced the wall.

Hidan lay down on his cot across from Shikamaru's bed. The two sat in complete silence, before out of the blue, Hidan blurted out, "Let's go to war tomorrow."

"What?" Shikamaru responded as he still faced the wall, "We're not ready just yet."

"Oh I'm fucking ready. Ready to send this Madara bastard straight to hell."

Shikamaru stiffened a little, confused by Hidan's sudden willingness. He knew he had the Jashinist's body under his control, but that didn't mean Hidan couldn't still manipulate him. Trust was not an option between them.

Shikamaru closed his eyes tightly. _I hate you._

Hidan winced. He was feeling that strange sensation in his chest from before in the cafeteria. It seemed to start up since Shikamaru came back from his meeting, and the feeling was steadily getting worse. Now that he was mostly alone and Shikamaru was dozing, Hidan took the moment gingerly rub the spot over his heart.

Something was welling up inside him, and he didn't like it. It felt alien and awkward, like a wild tiger confined to a domestic cage.

Bringing his rosary to his lips, Hidan prayed to his god, vowing to crush out his feelings of weakness.


	5. Part 5

Bold words are writing within the story, words in italics without quotation marks are thoughts. Contains some spoilers if you haven't reached the point of the 4th ninja war. However the main plot and some minor details of this fic deviate from the official shippuuden storyline for the purposes of this fic. Enjoy!

How to Train Your Jashin: Chapter 5

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost, Hidan…"

"You said that an hour ago, damnit."

Shikamaru sighed as he took the spent cigarette from his mouth, tossed it to the ground, and finished it with a stamp of his foot. "We're just outside where my unit should be camping, as Inoichi directed." he replied.

A large hand closed securely around Shikamaru's bicep, squeezing a sound of surprise out of the chunin's lips. Something border lining disgust coursed through Shikamaru when he realized Hidan was touching him. He immediately began to try and remove his arm from Hidan's grips, as he asked in a flustered voice, "O-Oi, w-wait…w-what are you doing?"

"Speeding up this fucking field trip!" Hidan called back, glaring at Shikamaru for struggling.

Troublesome idiot…Shikamaru thought, but kept those thoughts a secret, finally allowing the zealot to pull him along. He still felt uneasy with Hidan being almost intimately close with him. The Nara boy's eyes briefly glanced over to his enemy-turned-ally before he felt his face return to a glare.

Damn kid. He's like Kakuzu…dragging his feet and making me wait…it's pissing me off…Hidan tried to push his impulsive thoughts aside, but the feeling of frustration was afflicting him as well.

He could also feel a heated glare burning a hole into the back of his head, but could care less. All he wanted to do was kill as many things in this war as possible. He wanted to figure out how to break this jutsu he was under, and finally deliver than man behind him to Jashin.

"Don't rush into things, Hidan…you could be killed…" Kakuzu's voice rumbled from somewhere in his head.

I know, I fucking know…I can be patient too, Hidan replied in vain to the memory.

"Shikamaru!" a female voice shrieked.

Hidan's focus snapped back to the reality around him, spotting a familiar platinum blond haired girl. It was the medic nin on Shikamaru's team who helped take him and Kakuzu out. Next to her was their chubby companion. A snarl worked it's way up his throat.

"Stop, Hidan," Shikamaru ordered before Hidan to curse out.

The link between them forced Hidan's body to listen to the order, and Hidan's body came to a stop. However, The Jashinist's still has his hand around Shikamaru's arm.

Ino, knowing nothing of Shikamaru's recent dealings with Hidan, pulled out a kunai.

Her scream alerted all nearby nin of the camp, and they jumped in to assess the situation. Chouji crouched in battle ready position, but the fear and hatred on his face betrayed his feelings inside.

"Let go of him, you murderer!" he called out.

"Chouji, Ino…Everyone…I've got this under control," Shikamaru called back finally removing himself from Hidan's grasp.

"What are you talking about, Shikamaru?" Ino asked incredulously.

Shikamaru sighed, "Troublesome."

"B-But he…he's our enemy. He killed Asuma-sensei…" Ino cried out, "how could you bring him back?"

Shikamaru stared beyond her face at the uninteresting beige canvass of the tent interior behind her. Moments ago he had finished telling his former teammates and the rest of the unit about the enslavement technique he had executed on Hidan. Not only were Chouji and Ino wary of his decision, but so was the leader of their unit, Kitsuchi.

"I understand that he may be useful in our war against Madara," the Rock Village commander began, "but I won't put my unit at risk…"

Shikamaru nodded. "I understand all of your concerns. I still have my concerns about this jutsu as well, but Hidan is an asset to the Allied Shinobi Forces. Most of all, my father and all of the kage have approved this move. I trust their judgement. As far as I know, the jutsu is working."

Tears of anguish and frustration leaked from depths of Ino's blue eyes. "He's a danger!" she screamed.

"I know…that is why we must keep him in our possession…" Shikamaru countered reluctantly. We must keep him from Madara's side…even if it hurts having him so near to me and the ones I care about…he thought, his hand absentmindedly touching the newly acquired scar on his hip.

I'm sorry Ino, Chouji…

Hidan could hear the bickering from inside the unit's tent from his position a few yards away. While he hated the fact that they were discussing him as if he wasn't there, he hardly flinched as the girl inside shrieked out her frustration. He had his own issues to worry about.

Bide your time, Hidan, and this time you'll beat him.

A jolt of electricity traveled up his spine and gathered on the scar on his neck., causing his hand to slap over it in surprise.

What's this? He thought as the sensation continued to course through the spot on his neck. It was like a caress. A shiver rumbled through his body, then his own hand brushed over the slightly raised skin of his "slave" scar.

For a brief moment, Hidan felt his turmoil leave him.

A hand clapped onto his shoulder and a familiar chakra emanating from it. Hidan turned to see Shikamaru behind him, an indescribable look on his face.

Hidan shifted a little. He felt uncomfortable with the other man's hand physically touching him.

"What is it?" the Jashinist asked.

"We have our first task, Hidan."

"And that is?"

Shikamaru pulled his hand back a little. "It's quite simple right now. Locate the army of white Zetsu and resurrected dead and relay their position so other units may move take them out."

Hidan straightened himself and stretched his arms high into the air.

"Let's do it."

"Glad you're being cooperative…follow me, Hidan."

Shikamaru took the lead and the pair silently went deeper into the forest.

After a short while, Shikamaru took out a new cigarette and lit it up. Hidan glanced over with mild interest.

"Ya know, those things might kill you quicker than the enemy in this war?" he commented.

"Are you concerned about me?" Shikamaru replied with an exhale.

Hidan let out a snort and turned his head away. "Fat fucking chance…I'm just confused by your logic for surviving this war."

"I have you now, so I think I'll do fine."

This caused Hidan to stop short. "What?" he asked, surprise in his voice.

Shikamaru turned back to Hidan, eyes cool. "What is it, Hidan?"

"You're a liar."

"I'm not lying. The fact that I hate you doesn't mean you're not useful," the Nara boy responded.

Hidan stayed rooted to the ground, violet orbs eyeing his "master" up and down. Something ain't right…

"C'mon Hidan," Shikamaru murmured as he turned around.

Staring at his feet, Hidan, still had not moved from his spot. Not even a single muscle flinched. "No, I think I'll stay right here." he said, looking up again.

Once again Shikamaru faced him in time to see a giant red scythe swinging for his neck.

The attack was a miss however, because the Nara managed to flip backwards and land on the trunk of a tree. Hidan followed up his miss by flinging his weapon out from its cable, giving Shikamaru no time to recover his breath. The scythe lodged into only bark and wood.

Hidan was then forced to turn his focus on two explosive laced kunai flying at him. The Jashinist moved to dodge, but his body was frozen in place.

"What the-?" he muttered.

The cable at his waist was stuck and would not allow him any movement like it should. Several thought processes tried reaching Hidan's brain, but in intense heat of battle, neurons failed to fire. Hidan could only watch, in a moment of seemingly slow motion, as the bombs traveled ever closer.

Suddenly Hidan's legs moved on their own, taking his body towards the tree his scythe was hooked into. What's the hell is going on? he thought. His feet came to a stop moments before he would have ran into it. Taking a moment to look himself over, he noticed his feet were caught in a peculiar shadow.

"That was close…" came Shikamaru's voice from a feet from him.

"You son of a bitch, how did you get behind me?" Hidan shouted back.

"Idiot, you're fighting an enemy transformed as me."

A second shadow then raced towards Hidan from his front. Shikamaru let out a curse as the shadow slithered into the air and pierced Hidan's neck through the middle.

"Hm…thank you for stopping him for me…" The fake Shikamaru said with a smirk. The shadow stabbing Hidan's neck fluctuated, then widened, beheading the Jashinist.

Desperately, Shikamaru quickly changed his seals and reshaped his shadow, grabbing the severed head to pull to him. The fake changed seals too, his shadow grabbing at Shikamaru's, locking them both in a tug-of-war over Hidan's head.

"Madara sent you to retrieve Hidan, didn't he?" Shikamaru asked.

"He is still part of the Akatsuki," The fake replied, shadow tightening around the other one.

The Leaf nin grunted

Shikamaru had to tighten his shadow around Hidan's head, he felt more desperate. What kind of transformation is this? He's able to use my jutsu too, and it seems to be at my level or even higher…he pondered, Still I can't let him take Hidan.

"Oi, both of you, let me the fuck go!" Hidan screamed in protest. The flesh of his face was beginning to twist under the pressure of Shikamaru's shadow.

"Damnit," Shikamaru whispered, loosening his hold on Hidan minutely.

He wasn't sure what would happen if he managed to pulverize Hidan's head, and strangely he didn't want to find out.

The fake picked up on Shikamaru's adjustment, and took advantage, sliding their shadow down to pull on Hidan's severed head directly.

Three minutes have passed, Shikamaru mentally reminded himself. Sweat started to form at his temple as the effects of prolonging his jutsu tugged on his body.

"Nice jutsu, but you hardly have the chakra capacity to maintain it for long," Shikamaru's fake continued his banter, "while I can regenerate my chakra constantly…you might as well give up."

Gritting his teeth, Shikamaru stubbornly tightened his shadow again. I went to all this trouble digging Hidan up and dealing with him, I can't give him up…

The chunin started pouring another quarter of his reserves into his shadow strangle jutsu for added strength.

"Pathetic…and you're the original," the fake chuckled, charging his own shadow.

The bead of sweat on Shikamaru's head began to a slow journey down to his cheek. He had used up at least half of his chakra just trying to hold on to Hidan.

I have to do this! He thought as he poured another quarter of his chakra into his jutsu, hoping to at least stall for time. Someone show up, damnit!

The sweat bead continued down to Shikamaru's jaw line.

"Ngh! You're hurting me you bastard!" Hidan's head groaned.

Shut up, Hidan! I need to think…Shikamaru's mind yelled back, not wasting the energy saying it aloud.

Suddenly the "master" scar on Shikamaru's hip began to tingle mysteriously, causing him to re-focus his attention on it instead.

But that…that only happens when…

Shikamaru's eyes widened in sudden realization, his hand seals complete. The copy's shadow snatched it over the moment Shikamaru dropped the jutsu

Catching the severed head, the fake smirked in triumph. "Finally you've decided to be reasonable with yourself."

The fake dropped its disguise, revealing itself to be one of the white Zetsu clones.

Shikamaru gaped in surprise at the realization. The Zetsu can transform into any person they want as well as gaining the original's abilities…The Nara dropped to his knees from both fatigue and the weight of this new knowledge. Can we really hope to defeat an army with so much hidden talent?

Zetsu spoke again with a twisted grin, "Hmm, perhaps I should make a snack of you before I return to Madara?"

Shit! Did I make a mistake? Shikamaru thought as he sluggishly grabbed a kunai.

Poof

Shikamaru blinked, registering that both Hidan's head and body disappeared in dual puffs of smoke. His plant-featured opponent stepped back in surprise, walking right into the downward stroke of a certain red scythe.

"W-What?" Zetsu croaked, blood dripping from his mouth.

Hidan…Shikamaru sighed in relief, S-So he did manage to get away.

"I knew from the moment you said made it sound like it was a good idea that you had me around that something was up," Hidan said from behind Zetsu. The Jashinist then licked the blood from his scythe. "Then I noticed when you told me to keep following you, my body didn't seem to want to follow the order like before," Hidan continued, drawing Jashin's diagram in his own blood, "I didn't know if you were really that irritating pineapple head or if that dumbass enslavement jutsu had finally fizzled out…but that was the moment I decided to set up my substitution."

Zetsu glared back at him, "You never had this amount of attention to detail before…"

Hidan cackled to himself, skin changing to bones.

Shikamaru felt a shiver drift up his spine at the mere sight of Hidan in ritual form, hearing Hidan's crazed laughter, and seeing Hidan's dark purple eyes staring more at him than Zetsu.

"Funnily enough, that little bitch over there taught me that I should start paying attention more often," Hidan muttered bitterly before plunging his ritual pike through his chest.

Moment later, a spurt of blood erupted from the Zetsu's mouth, his body slowly crumpling to the ground. Shikamaru flinched and looked away quickly, flashes of Asuma's death appearing before his eyes. He failed to block out the soft, pleased moan that came from Hidan's lips.

Minutes seemed to pass by like hours before Shikamaru heard Hidan's footsteps crunching towards him. The Nara's body flinched, and he shouted:

"Stay back!"

The footsteps stopped immediately.

Carefully the younger man looked up to see his "slave" standing exactly where he was told to stop, violet eyes peering into distressed brown ones. Once he was reassured that Hidan was still enslaved to him, Shikamaru stood up shakily.

"We need to alert the others about this new intel on the Zetsu…" the Leaf nin announced, torso twisting as he shifted to return to camp.

"How did you know to let go of my head?" Hidan's question came out quietly, his footsteps crunching on the ground again as his body obeyed the order.

Shikamaru's hand drifted back over to the scar at his hip, and Hidan knew the answer with out the former even verbally answering. His hand flickered to the nearly matching scar on his neck.

"So you could feel when I touched it, and knew it was me?"

The Nara remained silent, only nodding in affirmation. His hand drifted away from his hip and formed a trembling fist.

"Ya know…it must have been you I felt when my mark reacted on it's own too."

This time Shikamaru stopped for a fraction of a second, feeling uneasy about that. We're too close and it doesn't feel right. Damnit this sort of link between us could never, ever be right…this isn't good.

"J-Just shut up," he ordered, not wanting to hear more about the subject of why the both of them could physically feel each other without even touching.

A snort came from the man behind him, but the loud-mouth said not another word.

The chunin let his shoulders relax a little as the silence enveloped him and Hidan. The peace only lasted a few moments, however, for a familiar tingling sensation electrified him from his scar.

Shikamaru's body jolted to a stop and whipped around to find Hidan rubbing his neck. The scene caused the Jashinist to smirk, knowing he was getting under the younger man's skin.

"Stop annoying me you infuriating bastard!" Shikamaru yelled, not bothering to hide his flustered exterior.

Hidan's grin grew, but he removed his hand.

The rest of the walk back went by without a hitch.


End file.
